Continuous centrifugal machine.



No. 662,2l4. N Patented Nov. 20, I900.

N w. A. W000. CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE.

(Application filed June 12, 1899.) (No Model.)

5 sheets-sheet g;

"m: scams PETERS 0o" PHOTOLIYHO. WASHXNGTON. a. c.

No. 662,214. Patented Nov. 20, I900.

w. A. woon. y CONTINUOUS GENTRIFUGAL MACHINE.

(Application filed June 12, 1899.)

5 Sheets$heet 3.

(No Modgal.)

WITNESSES:

Patented Nov. 20, I900. w A woon CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE.

4 (Application filed June 12, 1899.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

- INVENTOR 3 2714;

ATTORNEY WE NORRIS PEYERS 00., Pnnfou fno" WASNINGYON, a; c.

No. 662,2l4.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES.

Nor ss2,2|4. Patented Nov. 20, I900.

, w. wonn.

CONTINUOUS CENTRlFUGAL MACHINE.

(Application filed June 12; 1899.)

5 Sheats-Sheat 5.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES:

m: Ncnms PETERS cu, rum-041mm, wnsumsron, a, c

. *UN TED STATES PATENT O C WILLIAM ALEXAND R wooD, or Assam,-oonnnoricn'r, AssIeNoRf To ADELBERT lHILANDEB nine, or. 'ronnrnc'ron,CONNECTICUT.

1go ifmoous;csNrRirue Ai- MA srncmrcamonfo m part of Letters Patent Ne662.214, clated hlovember 20, 1900. a inantnintu e z,1899.; satinmzogazo. manna.)

I Toall whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAMALEXANDER WOD,a citizen of the United States,reside ing at Ansonia, inthe Stateof Connecticut, have invented aContinuous Centrifugal Ma chine, of wh ich the followingis aspecification. My continuous centrifugal machine .con-. sists,essentially, of aninclosing casing, a revolving; basket havingdischargeaopeni ngs, a IO series of revolving wingswithin the basket,and mechanism by reason ofwhich the speed of .the basket relatively tothat of y the. wings may beadjusted, whereby the solid material in thebasket will'atintervals bebroughtinto' positions tobe discharged throughthe lateral openings in thesides of the basket. I-will describe myimproved machine in connection with the accompanying drawings, and thenpoint out in the claims whatjI consider to be my invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation; Fig.2 is. a 7 vertical section. Fig. 3 isa plan view showing a portion of the cover'broken away and a portion ofthe feed-ch ute in a horizontal section,-the view beingl taken on theline W W of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a" horizontal section on i the lineX X ofFig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontalsection on the line Y Y of Fig. 2. Fig. 6is a horizontal section on the line V V of Fig. 30. 2. Fig. 7 is avertical elevation showinga modification of the mechanism for regulatingthe speed of rotation of the basket. Fig. 8 is a detached-view from thelarge view of the I arm which carries the spring-pressed pawl under therevolving basket. Fig. 9 is a face view of one of the lateral openingsof the revolving basket. t I v V In the drawings, 10 is a verticalspindle mounted in the bearings 11 12. The bearing 12 is' made adjustble by means of thescrew .13. 14 is a pulley keyedto the spindle 10 andadapted to transmit rotary motion to the spindle. Instead of using along spindle with a pulley mounted on the upper part, as shown A in thedrawings, I may, as is common in centrifugal machines, use a shortspindle and mount the pulley below. the basket.

The inclosing casing 15 iscomposed of the rim 15, base 15",,and body 15.The casing 15' as a whole is carried by means of the rods 16, whichdepend from the casting 17,carried bythe u niversaljoint18, whichlatter? ispsuitably secured to any horizontal support. (Not shown.) Thebase 15 of the easing 15 has formed in ittwo channels 15*15. Thechannel15 is open at'the bottom, so that any solid naterial forinstance, sugar after spinning, which is dischargedinto the chanuel-maypass freely out of the machine. The channel 15 has a closed bottom andis separated from the channel 15 by the wall or flange 15". The channell 5 hasits bottom inclined downward towardlthe discharge-spoutlc'fl,sothat any liquid discharged into the channel-as, for instance, the liquorextracted from sugar' in spinning-will flow freely. from the machinethrough the-spout 15 Depending from the base 15? re the rods 19,whichsupport the lower b aring-12, the spindle l0, and parts carried bythe spindle. t f

Located within the casing is the rotatable basket 20. The basket is.composed of the cover 20,.-b0ttom portion 20", exterior body 20, andinterior perforated body 20, Formed in the cover 20 is the centralhopper 21, p which extends downward into the basket and h is providedwith the delivery-chutes 22. The body of the hopper is so formed as tohave situated at its center the central hub 23,which is bored to receivethe spindle 10, but which is not attached to the spindle. The interiordiameter of the hub 23 is such that it may rotate freely around thespindle. The bottom portion 20 consistsof the disk 24, having thecentral hub 25 bored to receive the spindle 10.

The hub is not connected to the spindle and is sufliciently large on itsinterior diameter to move freely around the spindle.

Depending from the outer periphery of the disk 24 and adapted'to moreover the wall 15* is a flange 26. Immediately within this flange is asecond flange 27, which projects downward and is adapted to niove withinthe chan nel 15 Projecting upward from the disk 24 is another flange 28,and between the flange 5 27 and the flange 28 are arranged openings 29.These openings, itwill beobserved, are

situated over the channel 15 A second hub 25 projects downward from thedisk 24 and is somewhat larger in diameter than the hub25. too

The cover 20 and the bottom portion 20 are connected through the outerbodyportion.

. The trunnions 41 have their bearings in the and the perforated innerbody portion 20.

Q The outer body portion 20- is made of sheet metal and is connected atthe top to the outer periphery of the cover 20 and at the bottom to theouter periphery'of the disk 24 and between the flanges 26 and 27. Theinner body portion 20 is made of perforated sheet metal or wire-gauzeand is connected at the'top to the cover 20 and at the bottom to theinner side of the upwardly-projecting flange 28. Surrounding theperforated inner body portion 2O are parallel strengthening-rings 30.

Mounted on the collar 10" and keyed fast to the spindle 10 is aworm-gear 31. (Best shown in Fig. 5.) Carried in bearings 32, whichdepend from the disk 24 of the bottom portion of the basket, are theworm-shafts 33,

(two are shown, but only one may be employed,) in gear with theworm-gear 31. On the opposite endsof the worm-shafts are the ratchets34. Depending from the worm-shafts 31 are the arms 35. These arms arenot keyed upon the shafts 33, but are merely supported thereby.

Mounted on the outer side of the depending portions of the arms 35 arethe spring-pressed pawls 36, which engage with the ratchetwheels 34. Thearms 35 are connected through the1inks'37 with the vertically-movableblock .38. The block 38 is bored to receive the spindle is fastened acollar 38*, having pivotal bearings for the links 37. 'lhehub 38 is alsoprovided with a horizontal flange 38 and a removable ring 38 Surroundingthe hub 38 and between the flange 38 and ring 38 is an independent ring39. Between this ring 39 and the flange 38 and the ring 38 areinterposed balls 40, which form antifrict-ion-bearings. The independentring 39 is provided with the lateral trunnions 41.

42 is a bifurcated lever pivoted in the bear; ing 43, which is securedto one of the rods 19.

' sides of the bifurcated lever 42.

It will be understoodthat the independent ring 39, while verticallymovable, does not rotate with thespindle 10 and the block 38, but

.is stationary, so far as rotation is concerned,

' located a bolt 46, by means of which a connecting member 47 isadjusted in the slot.

In the construction shown in Fig. 7 the end 44 is provided with a slotalong its surface and a screw-threadat each nd. The conends of the slot.

necting member 47 has its base-located in the slot, and this base isthreaded. An adjusting-screw 48 engages the threaded portion of theconnecting member 47 and the threaded Adjustment is effected by means ofa hand-wheel 49.

50 represents a rod connected at one end to an eccentric 5l'on the shaft52 and at the other end adjustably connected to the connecting member 47by means of the nuts 53.

It will be understood that \vhenthe shaft 52 is rotated, which rotationmay be derived shafts 33 with the result. of imparting a motion to thebasket in a direction opposite to that'impa rted by the rotation of thespindle 10. In other words, assuming therotation of the basket impartedby the spindle to be from left to right, as indicated by the arrow inFigs, 3 and 4, the rotation imparted by the worm-shafts will be fromright to left, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5. The result of thesetwo rotations, therefore, will be a speed of rotation of the basket lessthan that of the spindle. By adjusting the connecting member 47 relativeto the lever-arm 44 the degree of vertical motion imparted to the block38 can be altered, and consequently the speed of rotation of the basketrelative to that of-the spindle likewise changed.

The object of the arrangement above described for regulating the speedof the basket will hereinafter be explained and described in theoperation of the device.

Located within the basket 20 and keyed to the spindle 10 is a spider 54,(best shown in Fig. 4,) provided with radial wings 55, twelve beingshown. The wings are bifurcated at their outer ends to carrytthevertically-arranged scrapers 56. Located behind the scrapers andin thebifurcations of the wings are the springs 57, which form a resilientbase fast to the spindle 10, and therefore has the.

same speed of rotation as the spindle. Consequently if the speed ofrotation of the hasket' by reason of reciprocation of the block 38 bemade less than that of the spindle then the scrapers 56 will scrape overthe inner surface of the perforated body 2O and gradually moveany-material located between any pair of wings toward lateralopeningsfiO, arranged through opposite sides of the basket 20. In Fig. 9I have shown a vertical elevation of the framework of one of theseopenings. In practice the vertical diameter of the framework is lessthan that of the scrapers, so that the scrapers will not lie-thrown outofthe open-' material acted on in the machine. It-will also be observedthat the position of the feed. chutes 22 is such that they do notregister with the openings 60, but feed into the second spaces betweenthe wings from the openings in the directionof rotation of. the arms.

- I do not wish to limit myself in any wise to.

the position shown for the feed-chutes, as

they may be moved nearer to or farther away from the openings. Theposition shown in the drawings, however, isthe one which I considerbest.

i The operationof myimproved device is as follows: Theimaterial to beacted on, which is in a wet state, is fed continuously in any suitablemannerinto the revolving hopper 21 of the basket 20and is deliveredthrough the chutes 22 into the spaces between the wings 55. The materialis thrown out by centrifugal action againstthe perforated body 20 and atthe same time is advanced in its position in the rotating basket towardone of the dis. charge-openings. The rapidity of the ad- Vance willdepend, as described, by the difference in speed between that of therotating Wings and that of the basket. The degree of the advance in thebasket maybe determined in advance, thus: Given a material to be actedupon containing a definite amount of moisture, the degree of advance ofthe material in the basket may be made such that the material will reachthe discharge-opening when I the requisite spinning has been reached-i.e.,

the degree of moisture has been extracted.

In the operation of the machine the liquids, &c., are discharged throughthe perforations in the body20 and gathered in the channel 15 andconveyed therefrom through the spout 15 whereas the dried material willbe discharged through the openings 60 into the channel 15 and thenceinto suitable receptacles. It will be furtherobserved that theconstruction of this machine is such that there will be no mingling orpossibility of mingling of the extracted liquids and solids. I haveshown no means in the drawings forv operating the shaft- 52. Manifestlyit may be driven in any suitable manner to produce the requiredreciprocating motion of the block 38;

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the specificconstruction described and shown in the accompanying specification anddrawings, as I believe I am the first to describe a continuously-actingcentrifugal machine which involves the principle of a difierence inspeed between a horizontally-rotating basket having'suitable verticaldischargeopenings for the solid materials and a series of independentvertical wings located and rotated within the basket. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A continuouscentrifugal machine, comprising an inclosing casing, ahorizontallyrotating basket havingitsperiphery formed of an exteriorbody' and an interior perforated body with lateral vertical openingsthrough whichthe solid matcrialsmay be discharged; a series ofindependent spaced scraper-wings within the basket, mechanism forrevolving said basket and wings,- and mechanism foryarying the speedof'rotation of lhe basket relative "to that of the wings.

2. A cont in nous centrifugal machine, comprising an inclosing casinghaving hopper and delivery chutes,a horizontally-rotating basket havingits periphery formed of an exterior body and an interior perforated bodywith -lateral vertical openings through which the solid materials may bedischarged; a series of independent scraper-wingswithin the basket,mechanism for revolving said basket and wings,and mechanism for changingthe speed of the basket relative to that of the wings.

3. In acontinuous centrifugal machine,the combination of a rotatingspindle, a series of independent scraper-wings positively driven by saidspindle, a rotating basket also driven by said spindle, and mechanismwhereby the speed of rotation of the basket may be varied from that ofthe spindle and wings.

4. In a continuous centrifugal machine,the combinat on of a rotatingspindle, a series of independent scraper-wings positively driven by saidspindle, a rotating basket, and means carried by said hasket,-wherebythe speed of rotation of the basket may be varied from that of thespindle and wings.

5. In a continuous centrifugal machine,the

combination of a rotating spindle, a series of independent scraper-wingspositively driven by said spindle, a rotating basket, a wormgear on saidspindle, a worm-shaft on said basket; and means for rotating saidwormshaft, whereby the speed of rotation of the basket may be variedfrom that of the spindle-and wings.

6. In a continuous centrifugal machine, the combination of a rotatingspindle, a series of independent scraper-wings positively driven by saidspindle, a rotating basket, a wormgear on said spindle, a worm-shaft onsaid basket, and adjustable means for rotating said worm-shaft, wherebythe speed of rotation of the basket may be varied from that of thespindle and wings and adjusted.

7. In a centrifugal machine, the combination of a rotating spindle, aworm-gear on said spindle, a rotating basket, a worm-shaft on saidbasket, a driven shaft, and mechanism adapted to vary the speed ofrotation of the basket from that of the spindle.

'8. 1 In a continuous centrifugal machine, the

interior perforated body,vand a bottom portion provided with openingsbetween said -inclosing bodies; and a series of rotating scraper-wingslocated within said basket and moving over the interior perforatedsurface of said basket.

10. In a centrifugal machine, an inclosing casing comprising a flangedupper ring provided with suspending-lugs, a body-casing, and a bottomportion having two channels, one channel open at the bottom and theother channel connected to a discharge-spout.

11; In a centrifugal machine, a revolving basket comprising a coverprovided with a central hopper and feed-chutes, two bodycasings, onesolid and the other perforated, a bottom portion having openings betweenthe points of attachment of the casings and having upwardly anddownwardly extending flanges.

12. In a continuous centrifugal machine,the combination of a revolvingbasket supporting a horizontally-arranged wormshaft, a spinblock mountedon and rotating with said spindle, mechanism interposed between saidblock and said worm-shaftfor imparting rotary motion to said shaft, anon-rotatable ring carried in friction-bearings on the saidreciprocating block,and an adjustable device for imparting areciprocating mot-ion to said ring and block.

13. Inacontinuous centrifugal machine,the combination with'a rotatingbasket, of aborizontally-arranged worm-shaft supported by said basket, aratchet-wheel fixedly attached to said shaft, a depending arm carrying aspring-pressed pawl loosely attached to said shaft, a reciprocatingblock, and mechanism between said arm and block whereby when the blockis reciprocated the pawl and ratchet-wheel will revolve the worm-shaft.

14. In a continuous centrifugal machine,the combination with the seriesof bifurcated wings, of a series of scrapers located in saidbifurcations, and resilient devices behind said scrapers.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER WOOD.

Witnesses:

J. E. PEARSON, L. H. FOSTER.

